I am not the testimony baring type, or at least not in my blog. People know what I believe, right?. BUT this is my blog and this is what I feel like sharing.......
Kris is gone. Well just for most of September. I don't do well without him. He is VERY hands on with the kids. Since he works 3rd shift he is at work when they are sleeping. He is normally home when then head off to school and so he gets to say good-bye most of the time. He normally gets up around 3pm, and the kids get home about 3:30. The kids go to bed around 7 pm, and Kris normally leaves again between 8-9 pm. My kids have their dad ALL THE TIME. They love it. I love it even more. This past week was my first full week ever having all of my kids by myself without any help. I love my kids, but there were days when I was going nuts. Tuesday and Friday. I really wanted to get them out of the house on Saturday. I wanted to go far, and spend. I was thinking of Medieval Times. BUT that is just way too much money. We are of the mind set right now...FREE FREE FREE FREE. I do know that there are lots of things to do that don't cost anything, but I was on this "I am irritated" kick. I know there is always the park, but I don't like the park. So Saturday morning I call Kris and I am complaining about taking dinner to someone that night. I couldn't go and do anything, I had to cook dinner. I can't go to Madison and go to the FREE zoo, I can't go down to my In-laws, I can't go up to My Aunt Dawn's house. HECK I can't do anything and be back here in time to get a "good" meal cooked and over to someones house......I was ranting, I even woke Kris up when I called him at the hotel. After all he is one of the ONLY people that I would call and complain to about serving...... His response was simple....."Serve with a glad heart". Oh that was humbling. I love to serve. My heart hurts when I don't. I had this sudden moment when I thought to myself...."Oh my gosh what am I doing?!?!?!?! Who in their right mind complains about serving, HELLO!". So I decided that I can do something with the kids and still manage dinner......It is a simple thing after all. I hang up the phone and few minutes later our new Bishop calls, and asked for Kris, but since he wasn't home I asked if there was a message to pass along, or anything that I could do. He wanted us to go and pick green beans at the ward garden. Again, I was just reminded that I love to serve. I have 4 kids, and one of them is a baby.....how do pick green beans with a baby on your hips??? I was going to find away.....the bishops daughter watched Evan, and off the rest of us went. It took maybe 20 minutes to pick all the green beans, and durning that time Elaine says something on the lines of "Mom the Bishop should always ask us to pick green beans." My response is that she can tell him that. Next Drew says "I bet Jesus is going to like these green beans." My heart melted. I now remember that when we serve we are the service of our Lord. I know that there is some Scripture reference, but I don't know what it is. That is not why I love to serve, I just do. I am thankful for the kind reminder from my husband, and that I had an opportunity to serve with my kids, and even more that they enjoyed it. That was amazing.
2 years ago
3 comments:
Thank you so much for sharing that with us! I have been working two jobs for a while now and don't seem to have enough time to do anything but work. I have been feeling bad and so far from my Heavenly Father lately. After reading your blog I realized I feel that way because I haven't been doing ANY service for others. Only thinking of myself and how tired I am. Poor me! My dad would have been throwing a pity party for me.
Thank you again for your inspiration!
Love ya,
Billi Jo
Hi Ranisa,
I to have been feeling sorry for myself lately to. Thanks for the encouring words. Helping me to kn ow that i am loved and i should do more service. You are a great example to me. I am grateful to have you ad a friend. Lets always be friends.
Hi Ranisa, thank for your commentary - I know I can relate to the same kind of issues. I wanted to make a comment regarding your reference to scripture about Jesus. One of the greatest (and my favorite) illustrations and examples of "service" and "humility" in the Bible can be found in John 13:1-20 (I like the NIV translation) - describing how Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.
Jesus knowing that his time on earth was coming to a close and that this was the last time he would be with all his disciples - out of love, he taught them one last lesson: humility and service - because it is humility and service to others that is the true evidence of love.
Assuming you've read the passage,
we learn that it is our responsibility to fill the needs we see, whatever and whoever we are.
I wonder, What can we do to prepare to serve others? What talents, resources, and services can we provide?
Thank you again for your candidness.
Sincerely,
Jerome.
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